Making It Glitter

Chapter 1

CHAPTER 1

BLAKE IS CAUGHT OFF GUARD

“Sir, did I resolve the issue for you to your satisfaction?” I asked the customer. The man, who’d cursed me out for stuff I had no control over, sighed.

“This has been so frustrating.” The man’s deep voice filled my headset.

“Yes, sir. I’m sure it has been. Is there anything else I can help you with?” I spied my boss opening her office door from across the room, so I slid the book I’d been reading into my top desk drawer.

“No. I know it’s not your fault, and I’m sorry I became angry with you.” The man grumbled, and before I could ask him to fill out the customer survey online, he hung up. I was about to update the man’s file when a shadow fell across my desk.

“Blake, Grace is at lunch. Tell Parker I need to see him.” My boss Marcia commanded. Everyone called the boss Morticia behind her back for always wearing black and never showing emotions. Her kohl eyeliner was extra-thick today, and her blood red lipstick was bleeding into the fine lines around her mouth.

“Of course.” I replied, taking my headset off and pushing back my chair. Morticia nodded and stalked back to her office. I was glad to do what she asked. Being a customer service representative was the most boring job on the planet. Thankfully, whenever Morticia’s secretary, Grace, was on a break, she’d get me to help. I was also hoping that if Grace ever left the company that I’d get a shot at her job. Anything besides dealing with customers was preferable, even serving the undead boss.

I strolled through the cubicles until I was in front of the elevators and pushed the down button. Parker was a maintenance man, and worked in the basement where his cell phone connection was spotty, which was probably why Morticia wanted me to get him.

When the doors opened up in the basement, it took a moment for my eyes to adjust to the dimmer lighting. It was a spooky old building in Shockoe Slip, a neighborhood filled with cavernous old tobacco warehouses they’d converted into offices and condos.

“Parker?” I called out, and a few moments later I heard footsteps approaching.

“Yeah?” The man answered in his raspy smoker voice. I smelled him before I could see him, a musky combination of cigarettes and booze. Despite his smelly habits, he was a nice old man, nearing retirement.

“Mort… um, Marcia wants to see you in her office now.”

The man sighed, and without another word, we rode the elevator back up to the fifth floor. Morticia was standing in front of her office door with her arms crossed over her chest when the doors to the elevator slid open.

“Wish me luck.” Parker mumbled, and slowly trudged toward our boss. As soon as her office door slammed shut, my neighbor in the next cubicle wheeled her chair over.

“Rumor has it Morticia is laying people off.” She whispered. Her eyes were like saucers, and I noticed her fingers twisting her wedding band nervously.

“I’m sure you have nothing to worry about, Betsy. She’s always liked you.” I whispered back, hoping I’d said the right thing to calm her down. It was a total lie, of course, since our boss hated everyone.

“My husband’s social security isn’t enough. If I’m laid off, I don’t know what we’re going to do.” She said, then the door to Morticia’s office flew open, and Parker stormed out. Halfway across the room, he spun around and faced her office, displaying his middle finger. But it was too late, since she’d already slammed the door shut.

“f*****g bitch.” He bit the words off, then he ran to the elevators.

“Holy shit.” I heard Betsy mutter, and a bolt of anxiety shot through me. What if she was going to fire me, too?

My phone buzzed, so I pulled it out of my pocket.

Bring home a bottle of wine

It was a text from my roommate and best friend, Sue. I was about to reply when Morticia’s door opened, and Charlie from marketing walked out, tears streaming down his cheeks. Whatever was going on, it wasn’t good. This was the fourth employee this afternoon who’d apparently gotten the axe.

Part of me would love to quit. Our boss was very demanding, and on more than one occasion she'd asked me to come in and work on days off. The thing was, you couldn’t say no, because we were all disposable, or at least that was how we all felt. I’d never been able to go to college, since I didn’t have a family, or any money to fall back on. Being a CSR was the best job I could get without a degree.

My dream was to finish the novel I’d been working on over the last year, and to become a full-time author. It was a romance novel, and I prayed it would be good enough to get me out of the rotten-job cycle. The only person I’d told about it was Sue. She was the one who’d encouraged me to write, because she was in a similar situation. Her degree was in sculpture, and obviously there weren’t many opportunities for her to make a living in her field. Even worse, she had to pay off obscene student loans, so she waited tables. It wasn’t bad money, but she had zero benefits or security.

“Blake.”

I jumped in my seat and glanced up to see Morticia staring down at me.

“Find Brenda Fowler in accounting and tell her I need to see her in my office now.” My boss huffed. “Nobody is answering their phones or emails today.” She spun around and stalked back into her office, slamming the door shut behind her.

“They aren’t picking up your calls, because they’re terrified, you heartless bitch.” I muttered, then pushed myself out of the chair and hurried to find Morticia’s next victim.

It was almost Thanksgiving, and this year Sue and I were planning a big feast for all our friends. Her parents were in Seattle, and she couldn’t afford to give up any shifts during the holidays, so she was staying put in Richmond. Since I didn't have a family of my own, our friends had become my chosen family. I knew Sue would rather have visited her parents, but selfishly, I was glad she was remaining in town.

Not that we would see much of each other. Most of my coworkers took vacation time around the holidays, so I’d probably be asked to fill in. Plus, Sue would work more shifts than usual, and tips were excellent this time of year.

My phone buzzed in my desk drawer, and after making sure Morticia’s door was still shut, I snuck a peek at it.

Horrible day- bring home two bottles of wine

My computer monitor beeped, and I saw a message from the boss. She wanted me to come to her office now.

“f**k me.” I sighed, knowing exactly what would happen next. I grabbed my phone and typed out a reply to Sue first.

Bringing home a box